Another lovely day in Oklahoma. . .

[NFLDERS]

Ah, Micca, you know how to live!! This year we gifted ourselves with a new fence and driveway, as well as snow tires for me and new tires for DH AND DD, but nothing as exciting as a new potty!!

I'm up at the crack of dawn because I have somehow gotten myself onto an alternate sleep schedule where I fall asleep around 9pm watching TV. By the time 3:30am or so rolls around, I am WIDE awake. No matter, it gives me "alone" time to wrap DH's gifts! Our outside lights are up and the tree is decorated. STUPID TREE. This is the 3rd year we've had it, we finally bought a pre-lit tree as I am all about the lights and DH is tired of hauling a messy, dying tree out of the house at the end of January (I may or may not leave the tree up too long... it's debatable...). The first year was GREAT. Last year... it seemed like not as many lights were working. This year? There's a stretch around the bottom that goes about 1/4 way around the tree, and then another stretch mid-tree that goes about 1/3 of the way around. The rest are OUT. DH spent hours trying to loosen, wiggle, re-seat, and hunt down missing/burned out bulbs, but life is too short for that so we ended up putting our old lights on the tree. Of course half of them are not working for some reason (and I mean, the half of a strand closest to the plug does not work but the other half of the strand does, very odd indeed!) and there are no colored tree lights to be had around here, so I coiled up the non-working parts into little nests, stuck those in the back of the tree, and then wound the working parts around to the front of the tree. Yankee ingenuity, I tell ya! Anyhow, we now have a very acceptable Christmas tree with lotsa lights, so I'm a happy girl!

There is also better news at work. I think I have managed to convince "the powers that be" that the first week of lab should be taught remotely. This means the students return to campus on days 1-3 to move in and be tested, and they are asked to stay on campus for the week. Classes resume day 8, but the labs could be done remotely that week as not all students will have their testing results back. All we will be doing is reviewing the syllabus, going over the dreaded "how to write a lab report," etc. I have my fingers crossed; I'd feel so much better if the students have been in our "Local Bubble" for 2 weeks before I have to face them. Also good news is that the staff where DD works have scheduled vaccination appointments starting 12/28, so HOPEFULLY she will receive the vaccine and be protected before my semester starts.

SO... what are y'all having for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals? I think I'll make something with shrimp for Christmas Eve. For Christmas dinner we are having stuffed shells with meatballs. I gave up on making the big family holiday celebration meal about 15 years ago, when I realized that while everyone else was having a relaxing day watching football and reading their Christmas books, I was on an endless cycle of cooking, doing dishes, and back to cooking. It was exhausting and No Fun For Me- and as they say, if Mama's not happy, NOBODY is happy, right? I will do the bulk of the prep work on Wed and Thur (so bake cake layers, make dips etc) to make Friday easier. Breakfast-which is always really late- will be bagels from our favorite bagel shop, then we'll graze on apps in the afternoon, and have supper around 6. Dessert will be red velvet cake (from scratch) and... either lemon meringue pie or maybe trifle. Still not sure on the 2nd dessert, but there's time!

OK, back to the wrapping. Hope everyone is safe and well. Happy holidays!!

Have you not read about my Salmon Ball!?

 

[Micca]

Have you not read about my Salmon Ball!?

I'm surprised this is even a thing, so few of them know how to dance.

 

[leebee]

Well, life takes interesting turns. DD27 got engaged at Christmas! Yes, it's fast, she and her husband split in April and divorce was final in October. She's engaged to a guy she's known forever, and they were apartment mates senior year of college. I think they've always "looked each other over" but she was seriously with the ex and he was serial dating at the time they shared an apartment, so... ANYHOW he has been a huge major support since she and her ex split, and they've been amazing friends for about 10 years, so I guess I can see where it's coming from. DD has never been a "gotta have a boy" kind of girl so I will trust her judgement on this- after all, it's not my life to live or comment on! She is very happy, he is ecstatic (he said he's always had a crush on her), and they have no immediate plans, just finding a way forward together. So we are happy for them.

The other crazy news is we have decided to go to Florida on Sunday. We'd been kicking around the idea for awhile and made the plans, but weren't committing to anything until it was too late to cancel stuff. We have 3 nights at AKL/Jambo (hoping for a savanna view) onDVC points gifted from a friend, and then will spend 2 nights with my BIL/SIL in Ft. Myers Beach. Then back to Orlando for 4 nights at Saratoga Springs, on purchased DVC points, for less than what the Hilton Orlando was charging us. We will risk it and do 2 park days while staying at Jambo as a dear friend and her family will be there at the same time (which is what started this line of thought back in November). I am feeling OK about going to AK and Epcot AFTER the holidays, staying outside, wearing masks and keeping our distance. We are renting a car so we won't need to use the buses, and I am stocked up with masks, sanitizers, and wipes. We're planning on doing takeout (DoorDash or Uber) for the most part. I know it's a risk- but it's also been a year, I need to be SOMEWHERE ELSE, and we also have an older, unwell, very close friend in Cocoa Beach who we'd like to see if he's entertaining guests. Honestly, coming from Maine he's probably safer around us than around his own neighbors, but this is his call. If we don't get to see him this trip, we'll go back sometime in the summer. Thanks to buckets of Southwest points and companion passes, we won't be spending much on airfare until 2022!! Once we get back we'll quarantine for 4 days and then be tested, which will give me the chance to put the finishing touches on the labs before classes start on 1/25. I'm still apprehensive about constant close contact with college students, but I'm going to be diligent about staying as far away from them as possible!

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year! Here's to a happier, healthier 2021!!

 

[Micca]

@leebee this is the "good news/happy post" you mentioned a few weeks ago! I think getting to WDW will be a nice break for you, we went at the end of October and had a good time.

That's good new for your DD too! Sounds like this match up has been coming for years, I'd be very optimistic about it.

Looking forward to your comments on the trip

 

[NFLDERS]

They may have had a winter's nap this afternoon, but I don't think they'll be bringing in 2021!

 

[Kitty 34]

Happy New Year's my Aldion buddies!

I woke up this morning to a pending ice storm forming by noon........so here's to a slippery start to a new year!

 

[Micca]

Winter storm warning here. Hibernation...it sounds like a viable option. Wake me up when everyone is vaccinated and it's warm enough for short sleeves and shorts.:

 

[PollyannaMom]

 

[ronandannette]

Winter storm warning here. Hibernation...it sounds like a viable option. Wake me up when everyone is vaccinated and it's warm enough for short sleeves and shorts.:

We got our (so far) one-and-only real blast of winter last Tuesday where we went from +8C to -13C and got 15" of snow in 18 hours. Just in time for Christmas, or more accurately, just in time for us to be out running around doing all the holiday prep. Because it was such an odd year without events or entertaining, I though I could scramble it all together in the few days before Christmas - which would have been fine if I hadn't spent part of that time stuck in a snowdrift. Happy to report that with all the shoveling, neither DH or I had a heart attack but we are definitely getting too old for this crap. At least it did inspire some great last-minute additions to DH's gift pile - some ice crampons, traction mats and a collapsible snow shovel to keep in his trunk.

Our situation here is dire and we have been in full lock-down for about a month with absolutely no social gatherings, inside or out, allowed. Everything is closed except essential grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations and "essential" work places. Enforcement is serious and the fine for non-compliance starts at $750 per person, per infraction. All in all, Christmas actually turned out as well as it possibly could have. Instead of hosting several parties like we normally would do, my BFF and I hatched a plot to cook Christmas dinner for 7 families that we knew would appreciate it. She did the turkeys and I did everything else. The festive feasts were porch-dropped on Christmas Eve and were very well received by everyone, resulting in a flurry of group-texts that made us all feel just a little less alone.

I'm glad to hear that several of you are in areas getting closer to having vaccination available. It will still be a while for us; me in particular because I'm at the bottom of the priority list. We're rootin' for it to be successful everywhere though and I hope it's the key to us all having a much different and much better 2021.

Happy New Year everyone, and to you too, Willie, wherever you may be.

 

[Micca]

We got our (so far) one-and-only real blast of winter last Tuesday where we went from +8C to -13C and got 15" of snow in 18 hours.

15 inches of snow would shut my city down for several days. Making meals for those families was a super nice thing for you and your friend to do.

 

[ronandannette]

15 inches of snow would shut my city down for several days. Making meals for those families was a super nice thing for you and your friend to do.

It was more of a blessing for us - really. We're typically pretty active in ministry and volunteering and all of it has been curtailed by Covid restrictions. Even the big agencies have limited ability to serve people directly in person, although the needs are exploding exponentially. Floods of cash is needed for everything from foodbanks to homeless shelters to mental-health supports and while we did go ahead with donations, it's not quite as soul-satisfying as being able to really reach out to individuals - KWIM?

 

[NFLDERS]

https://www.facebook.com/643928255/posts/10158980099883256

 

[NFLDERS]

We got our (so far) one-and-only real blast of winter last Tuesday where we went from +8C to -13C and got 15" of snow in 18 hours. Just in time for Christmas, or more accurately, just in time for us to be out running around doing all the holiday prep. Because it was such an odd year without events or entertaining, I though I could scramble it all together in the few days before Christmas - which would have been fine if I hadn't spent part of that time stuck in a snowdrift. Happy to report that with all the shoveling, neither DH or I had a heart attack but we are definitely getting too old for this crap. At least it did inspire some great last-minute additions to DH's gift pile - some ice crampons, traction mats and a collapsible snow shovel to keep in his trunk.

Our situation here is dire and we have been in full lock-down for about a month with absolutely no social gatherings, inside or out, allowed. Everything is closed except essential grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations and "essential" work places. Enforcement is serious and the fine for non-compliance starts at $750 per person, per infraction. All in all, Christmas actually turned out as well as it possibly could have. Instead of hosting several parties like we normally would do, my BFF and I hatched a plot to cook Christmas dinner for 7 families that we knew would appreciate it. She did the turkeys and I did everything else. The festive feasts were porch-dropped on Christmas Eve and were very well received by everyone, resulting in a flurry of group-texts that made us all feel just a little less alone.

I'm glad to hear that several of you are in areas getting closer to having vaccination available. It will still be a while for us; me in particular because I'm at the bottom of the priority list. We're rootin' for it to be successful everywhere though and I hope it's the key to us all having a much different and much better 2021.

Happy New Year everyone, and to you too, Willie, wherever you may be.

We are fortunate in both my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario and in Niagara where we live now. Our largest benevolent non profit was able to aid our religious communities with Covid related extra need, and see some residents not have to avail themselves of our stimulus packages.

https://niagara.cioc.ca/record/NIA3282

 

[NFLDERS]

GOOD MORNIN'

From our home to yours.. first one is our Creek!

 

[leebee]

I think we've had about 6" of snow so far today, and it's still falling. SO GLAD it's today and not tomorrow, as tomorrow we are driving 2+ hours for an overnight at the airport, so we can go to FLORIDA on Monday! A very dear friend will be at WDW with her husband and daughter while we are there, so we are doing 2 park days with them. Not sure how, but we'll mask and try to keep our 6' of distance! Traveling from Portland, ME is always "iffy" in the winter as it's a long enough drive that I don't want to do it if the weather is crappy/gross; I did enough of that in my younger years and am honestly surprised that I've lived to tell some of the tales! It's good news that the snow is today and not tomorrow, bad news is that my glasses just broke! I am legally blind without them, so all I can say is, SuperGlue better live up to its name! So far, so good... so fingers crossed!

Happy New Year, everyone!! I have no clue as to what 2021 might hold, but it canNOT be as stressful or anxiety-producing as 2020 was! There's a light at the end of the tunnel- a distant light, but a light no matter- and I'm gonna keep moving towards it!

 

[Micca]

@leebee Have a safe & fun trip! Sorry about the glasses...no one-hour optical places near you?

@NFLDERS I don't think I realized that you live in such a rural area. Are you out in the boonies or are the photos not showing the whole story?

 

[NFLDERS]

@leebee Have a safe & fun trip! Sorry about the glasses...no one-hour optical places near you?

@NFLDERS I don't think I realized that you live in such a rural area. Are you out in the boonies or are the photos not showing the whole story?

See..
V

 

[NFLDERS]

Micca: I tried to reply as a quote but since just before Dis update my activity here has been wonky. Anyhoo to answer your question.

We are just 5 minutes drive to Lake Ontario. 2 minutes to our downtown. We are on the Niagara Escarpment, meaning we drive up and down a mountain that by many is defined a hill! The original song Wolverton Mtn was rewritten, and produced on one of those nearby hills, namely Woolverton Mtn road. Our homes are rural (up here!) were formerly tender fruit farms.Today farming more soy, exotic animals, and still tender fruits. Grapes are predominant. One of our main roads below our hill is a Niagara Wine route stretching some 45ish miles to Niagara-on-the-lake/Niagara Falls.

Some farms are hobby

 

[NFLDERS]

^See what I mean, an incomplete before completed. AND, my sailboat emoji is no longer offered, so.. I sent you a fish!

 

[Micca]

I found the boat Jane!